[ref. b39702420] NHS - Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join NLFT Hospital Division Psychology Service. We are a small but expanding team of psychologists and CAPs working across inpatient services at Highgate Mental Health Centre West and East.

We are delighted to advertise a newly funded post in recognition of the Trust's commitment to improving access to psychological interventions and continuing to develop Trauma Informed Care within inpatient settings for adult and older adult service users.

The post-holder will be the lead psychologist for two wards which could be two adult treatment wards, or one adult treatment ward and one older adult treatment ward.

We are looking for a psychologist with excellent clinical skills and with demonstrated expertise and knowledge of working with adults and older adults experiencing mental health difficulties and presenting in acute distress.

Enthusiasm, personal resilience and the ability to work flexibly are essential qualities needed for this post. Those currently working at Band 7 who are ready for career progression are encouraged to apply.

Newly qualified Clinical/Counselling Psychologists, or those expecting to qualify in 2025, are encouraged to apply as posts could be offered as a Preceptorship. We offer a tailored programme of Continued Professional Development (CPD) and other developmental opportunities to support your progression and career development.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work within the inpatient service based at Highgate Mental Health Centre. They will be the lead psychologist for two wards working within the ward MDTs who greatly value psychological interventions.

There will also be opportunities to collaborate with psychology colleagues within the Hospital Division on clinical initiatives and developing research projects.

This post will work with ward MDTs and manage psychology referrals for direct clinical work including assessment, brief formulation-driven interventions and group work. Systemic interventions will also be encouraged to support families and significant others involved with our service users.

The post holder will also focus on providing consultation, reflective practice and training to teams across the Division and have opportunities for service development focused on developing Trauma Informed approaches and improving clinical care.

There is a growing initiative to support research skills for audit, policy and service development/quality improvement.

Working for our organisation

North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.

Our Five-Year Strategy:

1. We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home.
2. With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all
3. We will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care.
4. We will be more effective as an organisation by pioneering research, quality improvement and technology.

The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main responsibilities are outlined in details in the job description document attached. Person specification would be different for a newly qualified clinician applying for a band 7 role and for an experienced clinician applying for a band 8a role.

Person specification

Essential

• Doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology

Essential

• Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council as clinical psychologist or a counselling psychologist

Essential

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community teams, primary care and inpatient settings

• Experience in working with a wide variety of client groups across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems

Essential

• Multi-disciplinary team working and involvement in developing risk management plans and supporting care of service users

• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
• Experience of supporting reflective practice, and experience of participating in or supporting post-incident debriefs
• Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings